They followed the rutted and worn country road that wound across the flat between the great dark-green mango-groves, the line of the snow-capped Himalayas faint to the eastward. All India was at work in the fields, to the creaking of well-wheels, the shouting of ploughmen behind their cattle, and the clamour of the crows. Even the pony felt the good influence and almost broke into a trot as Kim laid a hand on the stirrup-leather. 'It repents me that I did not give a rupee to the shrine,' said the lama on the last bead of his eighty-one. The old soldier growled in his beard, so that the lama for the first time was aware of him. 'Seekest thou the River also?' said he, turning. 'The day is new,' was the reply. 'What need of a river save to water at before sundown? I come to show thee a short lane to the Big Road.' 'That is a courtesy to be remembered, O man of good will; but why the sword?' The old soldier looked as abashed as a child interrupted in his game of make-believe. 'The sword,' he said, fumbling it. 'Oh, that was a fancy of mine--an old man's fancy. Truly the police orders are that no man must bear weapons throughout Hind, but'--he cheered up and slapped the hilt--'all the constabeels hereabout know me.' 'It is not a good fancy,' said the lama. 'What profit to kill men?' 'Very little--as I know; but if evil men were not now and then slain it would not be a good world for weaponless dreamers. I do not speak without knowledge who have seen the land from Delhi south awash with blood.' 'What madness was that, then?' 'The Gods, who sent it for a plague, alone know. A madness ate into all the Army, and they turned against their officers. That was the first evil, but not past remedy if they had then held their hands. But they chose to kill the Sahibs' wives and children. Then came the Sahibs from over the sea and called them to most strict account.' 'Some such rumour, I believe, reached me once long ago. They called it the Black Year, as I remember.' 'What manner of life hast thou led, not to know The Year? A rumour indeed! All earth knew, and trembled.' 'Our earth never shook but once--upon the day that the Excellent One received Enlightenment.' 'Umph! I saw Delhi shake at least; and Delhi is the navel of the world.' 'So they turned against women and children? That was a bad deed, for which the punishment cannot be avoided.' 'Many strove to do so, but with very small profit. I was then in a regiment of cavalry. It broke. Of six hundred and eighty sabres stood fast to their salt--how many think you? Three. Of whom I was one.' [Illustration: He sat long-legged on the little beast, with the big sword at his side--hand dropped on the pommel--staring fiercely ever the flat Lands. . .] 'The greater merit.'